Shoe-upper closure



1. sumo. SHOE UPPER CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1922.

31,431,47. Patented M10, 1922.

unlacing the shoe will be materially Patented Got. 10, 1922.

ra e

JOHN STANG, OF LIVINGSTON, ILLINOIS.

SHOE-UPPER CLOSURE.

Application filed March 8, 1922. Serial No. 542,060.

T 0 all whom it may concern." 7

Be it known that I, JoHN STANo, a citizen of Czecho-Slovakia, residingat Livingston, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Upper Closures, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in shoeupper closures particularly for the fastening of the closure flaps offootwear. l

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved means forlacing together the flaps of the upper closure of a shoe whereby theoperation of lacing and simplified over prior arrangements' of thiskind. Another object is to provide an'etfective and simplified form oflacing hook which.

may be practically employed with the m'anner of lacing embodied in thepresent invention.

Other objects will appeargas the nature of the invention is betterunderstood and the same consists in the novel form, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described in connection withthe accompanying drawing and in which like reference characters indicatecor responding parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe provided with an upper closureconstructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the lacing hook, and

Figure 3 is an edge elevational view lookin toward the right of Figure2. y

i eferring more in detail to the several views, the present inventioncontemplates the provision of lacing means for the usual closure flaps 5and 6 of the upper 7 of a shoe, and the invention contemplates thesecuring of a plurality of lacing hooks 8' to the flap 5 along themarginal edge of the latter from end to end and in uniformly spacedrelation so that the entrances to said hooks are substantially directedoutwardly. The invention also contemplates the provision of a series ofeyelets 9 along the margin of the flap 6 so that said eyelets arearranged in pairs at points between adjacent ones of the lacing hooks 8with central eyelets 10 at the ends of the flap 6 so that one end of thesingle lace 11 may be knotted as at 12 for preventing passage of one endof the lace through the lowermost eyelet, the lace 11 being threaded.through the pairs of eyelets so as to leave looped portions as at 13between said. pairs of eyelets for engagement with the lacing hooks 8,.a suitable means being provided as is well known in the art for securingthe upper end of the lace at the upper eyelet 10. This securing means isnot shown as the same iswell known in the art and forms no part of thepresent invention.

It will be seen that by means of the above construction. the upper endof the lacing may be readily loosened for allowing said lace to slidethrough the eyes 9 for enlarging the loop portions 13 so that they maybe readily disengaged from the lacing hooks S to thereby entirelydisconnect the two flaps 5 and 6 with the lacing entirely carried by theflap 6 and with the loop. portions 13 disposed to be againreadilyengaged with said hooksgafter which the lacing may be pulled at itsupper end for tightening the closure. 7

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lacing hooks 8 preferably embody anarrow strip or". sheet metal having a base portion 14 with an attachingrivet 15 rigid therewith whereby the hook may be fastened to the flap 5,and with an upwardly extending outwardly curved end portion 16 whichterminates in an inwardly directed extension 17 having a laterally bentfree end port-ion arranged to form a stop as at 18 and in a manner thatwill presently become apparent. A pair of ears 19 are stamped integralwith the other end of the base portion 14 and a second strip of sheetmetal of a springy nature as at 20 is provided with a pair of ears 21which are pivoted to the ears 19, the strip 20 being of general G-shapein side elevation and having a lower end portion 22 bearing upon thebase portion 14 for normally tilting the strip 20 to the dotted lineposition of Figure 2 for normally leaving an entrance opening as broadlyindicated at 23 for the introduction of the lace, such entrance openingor space being between the end of the curved portion 16 and the upperend. of the curved strip 20. The upper end of the curved strip 20 isprovided with an inward extension 24k of hook-shape with a laterallybent end as at 25 slidably engaging the portion 17 and cooperating withthe stop 18 for limiting separation of the mem bers of the hook at thelacing entrance space.

As the hook-shaped extension 24: is inclined and directed toward thecenter of the hook,

the operation of drawing the lace tight will 5 exert a pull in thedirection of the arrow -a, of Figure 2 so as; to cause closing of theentrance opening 23 as shown by full lines in Figure 2 against theaction of the springy end portion 22. This provides for a neatappearancewhen the lacing is drawn tight during wearing of the shoe, and theclosing of the entrance space prevents engagement of the hook in bodyapparel and projecting articles of various kinds as is objectionablewith the rigid type of hook now generally employed wherein the hook isopen at all times.

As the manner of use has been dealt with in the foregoing description,it is believed that the same will be evident to those skilled in the artand the advantages of the invention appreciated.

' Minor changes may be made in the form combination and arrangement ofparts of lflthe' invention without departing from the spirit and scopeof the same.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with the pair of upper closure flaps of a shoe, aseries of lacing hooks secured in spaced relation from end to end of andalong the margin of one of said flaps, eyelets secured from end to endof and along the margin of the other flap, said eyelets being arrangedin pairs at points 35 between adjacent ones of said hooks with singleeyelets at the upper and lower end portions of said other flap, and asingle lace anchored in the lower eyelet and formed in loops between thepairs of eyelets engaging the hooks, said hooks being formed to permitready disengagement of the loops therefrom with the lace disposed insaid eyelets. 2. In an upper closure fastener for shoes, a lacing hookcomposed of a pair of metallic strips, one ofusaid strips beingrelatively spaced and including a base portion with one end extendingupwardly and outwardly curved and with an inturned straight end memberupon the free end of the outwardly curved portion having alaterallydirected end forming a stop, the other member being of substantiallyC-shape in elevation and hingedly connected'vto the other end of thebase portion with its upper end normally in spaced relation to the upperend of the outwardly. curved portion and with its lower portionyieldingly bearing upon the base portion, said C-shaped member beingprovided with an inclined inwardly directed hook extension having aninturnecl end slidably engaging the inturned end portion of theoutwardly curved portion and cooperating with the first named stop tolimit separation of the members, said hook-shaped portion being arrangedto be engaged by the lace so that the same will be pulled upontightening of the lace for bringing the members of the hook. at theirupper ends into contact.

JOHN STAND.

